"Shane has been around for such a long time but he is a priceless asset for Wales, the Ospreys and rugby in general," said Howley.
"To have him back is something we are thankful for."
With one of his first touches of the ball Williams sparked life into the Ospreys backline and created a try for Nikki Walker and Wales head-coach Warren Gatland was delighted to see one of his most lethal strike runners back on the field.
"Shane made a huge difference when he came on for the Ospreys last weekend," said Gatland.
"He looked sharp and got his hands on the ball and created a try.
"No-one is going to be released this weekend, although we thought about giving game time to Shane.
"But it is important he does not get injured at the moment because he is pretty precious at the moment."
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